Former Cub To Manage Kane County Cougars in 2018

The Kane County Cougars, in conjunction with the organization’s Major League affiliate Arizona Diamondbacks, have announced the field staff for the 2018 season which will begin on Thursday, April 5 against the Clinton LumberKings at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.

Blake Lalli

Blake Lalli has been named the 19th manager in franchise history. This season will be his first as a manager within the D-backs organization having spent the last five seasons playing in the majors with the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and most recently the Atlanta Braves. He is no stranger to the D-backs affiliate system as he previously spent time with the organization’s Triple-A affiliate in Reno from 2014-15.

Sauveur returns to Kane County for his third year with the D-backs and is the only returning member of the Cougars staff for the upcoming season. Short comes to the Cougars for his first season as a hitting coach after spending the last eight years as a scout for the D-backs. A native of Elgin, he spent three years as a member of the Western Illinois University baseball team before being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1994. Cortes begins his third season in the D-backs organization after spending the 2017 season at Short-Season A Hillsboro.

Ticket packages for the 2018 season are now on sale including the Cougars Christmas Pack. From now until Dec. 31, purchase the Christmas Pack for $89 and you’ll receive four box seat ticket vouchers valid for any game during the 2018 season, one general lot parking pass, $60 in Cougars cash plus two reserved seat ticket voucher for Opening Night on Thursday, April 5.

About the Kane County Cougars

The Cougars, Class-A Minor League affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have been at the forefront of family-friendly entertainment since 1991. In 2015, the franchise became the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to welcome 11 million fans through the gates. A total of 161 former Cougars have reached the Major Leagues including Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Kyle Schwarber.